Hyderabad, Jan 16 (IANS) The ruling Congress party in Andhra Pradesh Saturday expelled a leader of National Students Union of India (NSUI) from the party for his alleged involvement in the recent attacks on Reliance outlets in the state.

State Congress chief D. Srinivas expelled former state president of NSUI Ch. Vamshi Chand Reddy for six years from the primary membership of the party.

The action was taken after the party chief found 'unsatisfactory' his reply to the show-cause notice served by the party.

Vamshi was arrested by the Hyderabad police on Jan 10 and the next day a court sent him to jail for two weeks for sending SMSes to his followers across the state to attack Reliance outlets on the night of Jan 7 after a television channel telecasted a story about the conspiracy behind the death of former chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter crash.

Following the telecast of the baseless story linking Reliance with the death of YSR, Reliance outlets across the state were targeted.

During the investigations, police found that Vamshi sent over 700 SMSes from his mobile to his supporters across the state soon after the television channel telecasted the story.

The NSUI leader has been charged with criminal conspiracy, rioting, criminal intimidation, abetment of offence, being member of unlawful assembly and mischief.

Police also arrested two editors of Telugu channel TV 5 and booked cases against two other vernacular channels.

About 200 people, majority of them leaders and workers of the Congress party, were arrested in connection with 114 cases of attacks on Reliance outlets. A former state minister was also booked for inciting violence.